1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of sterilization containers having holders for removably securing surgical instruments and implants within the containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of containers and cases have been provided to organize surgical instruments, implants and other medical devices. These items must not only be organized but protected from damage. Likewise, the items must be sterilized, stored and then delivered for ready use. In our U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,097, we have disclosed an instrument cassette and sterile wrap assembly composed of a tray and a lid mounted thereto. In our U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,502 we have disclosed an instrument cassette having a mechanism to prevent lateral movement of the medical instrument when positioned within the cassette. In our U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,987 the tray is provided with downwardly extending feet that are nestable within recesses provided in the tray cover located there beneath. In our U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,738 the storage and sterilization tray assembly is designed to be slidably mounted on a horizontally extending rack.
The sterilization and storage tray assemblies must be modified or tailored to the particular size and configuration of the instruments, implants and devices to be held within the tray. Various types of brackets and holders are typically mounted within the tray assembly with the configuration of the brackets depending upon the items to be held within the assembly. In order to utilize the tray assembly in a variety of different applications, it is desirable to provide a tray assembly having internal brackets that may be easily moved or changed depending upon the items to be held by the brackets. Disclosed herein is such a tray assembly.
One such bracket we have devised is disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,264. The bracket shown in FIGS. 29-34 is particularly useful in partitioning the container into multiple compartments through the use of a bar mounted to a plurality of rigid brackets holding the bar to a base plate or the floor of a container. The bar is produced from a flexible material, such as, silicone rubber thereby allowing the bar to be cut and shaped to hold a variety of differently configured medical items. The length of a bracket produced from a flexible material is limited when vertical posts are used to mount the bracket since the material will flex an undesirable amount. The flexible bar shown in FIG. 29 on the other hand is secured along its length thereby limiting the amount of flexibility.
Despite the prior containers and brackets, there is a need for providing brackets or holders within the sterilization containers that may be easily installed and removed without requiring disassembly of various fasteners. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,539 there is disclosed a surgical instrument retention bracket having brackets extending through the floor with a c-ring then releasably engageable with the tip of the bracket pillar. Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,292 wherein the bracket pillars include spring bottom portions that are extendable through a wall and releasably secured thereto. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,812, a sterilization tray with removable instrumentation wall is disclosed that has a lengthwise extending bottom edge portion extendable through a wall for mounting purposes. The bottom edge portion extends outward of either side of the holder. A similar approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,103.
In order to prevent marring or damage to the various surgical instruments and implants positioned in the container holders, it is desirable to provide a cushion edge holder with the holder still exhibiting structural rigidity along its length and height. Disclosed herein is a composite holder having a pair of rigid side walls between which is located a flexible wall extending beyond the edges of the two side walls thereby providing a holder having a cushioned edge. Further, the components of the composite holder are secured together by fasteners extending through the top portions of the components whereas outwardly turned feet are positioned on either side of the holder along its bottom edge portion forcing the components together when the holder is mounted to a wall.